If you want to separate yourself as a catcher you need to improve in all three of these areas.  1. Receiving 2. Blocking 3. Throwing When receiving correctly, you will increase the chance of a pitch being called a strike. As the number of balls in the dirt goes up every year, it’s important that you are trained to handle those pitches. If you want to play the position, you need to be able to block. If you want to stand out as a catcher, you need to block everything AND keep it close.  Think of it this way, as a catcher you are always receiving the ball. When it’s close to the zone, you are receiving it and framing it. When it’s in the dirt, you are receiving it through a “pick” with the glove or receiving it with your body. With a runner on, you are receiving in a manner that optimizes for a quick transfer and firm throw. A strong arm is often a catalyst for advancement opportunities in baseball. It has a significant impact in catcher evaluations and can be seen as a barrier to ent...